Sam Dickison established his reputation at several other London breweries before setting up his own project in 2017, initially on a small scale in Homerton but relocating to a bigger site with a relaxing taproom in Bethnal Green railway arches two years later. Boxcar Brewery, Bethnal Green Boxcar's exemplary dark mild has become a flagship beer. The taproom in Bounds Green is a delightful place that provides proper Czech-style pours.īohem Tap Room, 120A Myddleton Road, Bounds Green 3. Of course, it makes pilsner-style golden lagers, and very well, but look out too for the darker versions, familiar in countries like Germany and the Czech Republic, but often surprising to UK drinkers: luscious amber-coloured Sparta is a standout. Bohem is the London standout, unsurprisingly, as it's run by Czechs and is correctly equipped with horizontal lagering tanks where the beer is kept at cold temperatures for weeks to smooth out the flavour. The growth of craft lager is one of the most pleasing recent developments in UK brewing, and London is doing its bit to challenge the views of British drinkers who still think of this much-misunderstood family of beers in terms of the big industrial brands. Bohem Brewery, Tottenham (taproom in Bounds Green) Don't mind if I do. It's next door to Exale, which narrowly missed this list and is also highly recommended.īeerblefish, Unit 2A-4 Uplands Business Park, Walthamstow 2. Look out for Victorian-inspired English IPAs and strong milds, often made using a well-judged dose of 'wild' yeast, decent cask bitters and wildcards like a viking ale made with heather and juniper. There's plenty of contemporary inventiveness and flair on show too. Beerblefish's brews are often inspired by heritage recipes, and unlike many other newer London arrivals, much of it goes into cask. Recently relocated to London's new 'beer mile' north of Blackhorse Road station, this ethically-conscious business first used its own kit in 2016 on an Edmonton industrial estate after starting as a cuckoo at now-defunct Bermondsey communal brewery UBREW. Beerblefish Brewing Co, Walthamstow Board games and beer at Beerblefish. I've stuck to freestanding breweries with taprooms, rather than brewpubs or the new crop of very small home-based commercial producers supplying very local outlets (although some of these are achieving great things too). Here are six great examples of independent breweries new to that third edition, each one well worth getting to know. By the third edition, published November 2021, there are 136 breweries.